And heaping machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheet 1.

` W. H. LAGUIRB. M-OWING AND' 11EAP1NG MACHINE.

110.431,522. Patented v11u13; 1, 1890.

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(No Model.) 2 sheets-sheet 2.

W. H. LAGUIRB. MOWING AND lRFAPING MACHINE.

110.431,522. A Patented July 1,1890.

lll l VIo . reaping and mowing machines, and particubar on line .fr of Fig. 4.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. LAGUIRE, or sooTrvILLE,

MICHIGAN, AssIeNoR or ONE-HALF TO JOHN N. MACK AND EUGENE M. BRIGGS, BOTH OF ASAME PLACE.

MOWING AND REAPING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,522, dated July 1, 1890.

Application filed January 8, 1890. Serial'No. 336,249. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. LAGUIRE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Scottville, in the county of Mason and State of Michigan, have invented certain new'and useful Improvements in Mowing and Reaping Machines; and I do declare'the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying'drawings, and to the lettersgof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. A

My invention relates to improvements in larly to the mode of imparting and regulating the motion to the knife or sickle in said machines, whereby a more rapid and also a motion that can be Inore readily regulated and altered may be obtained than by the ordinary means; and the invention consists in the following-described gearing and devices shown by the annexed drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a top view of the Inachine; Fig. 2, a side view of same; Fig. 3, a bottom view of the pitman, with cam-rod for operating the sickle or knife, the shoe being removed. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the cani-rod and guide-rollers. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-section of the sickle- The main driving-wheels A A are 'secured in the usual way to the axle B, which runs in boxes in the cross-beam B', which beam is attached to the main frame-beams A A2, as shown in Fig. l. Closely proximate to the driving-wheels A A the cog or gear wheels C C are keyed upon the axle B. Upon the rear ends of the longitudinal bars A A2 of the main frame a cross-bar D is secured, through which, as in a sleeve, runs an axle d in boxes within said cross-bar D, and upon this axle d are splined, as hereinafter shown, the gear-wheels E E', one end of this axle d being shown projecting from the hub of Wheel E, while the opposite end is hidden by the hub of Wheel F, hereinafter described. These gear-wheels E E are adapted to mesh with the gear-wheels C', and for that purpose move laterally on splines on their axle.

The gear-wheels E E are of diiterent diameters to enable the operator to give a greater or less speed to the cutting knife or sickle by throwing one or the other of said wheels in gear with the wheels C C', and it is immaterial which of said wheels E E has the greater diameter.

Upon lugs d', projecting from the rear of cross-bar D and secured thereto, are pivoted 6o at d2 the levers e e', which are also pivoted at d3 to rods d, which rods engage at d5 the hubs of the gear-wheels E E', so that by means of the levers e e', which project on either side of the drivers seat7 either of said wheels E E 65 may be thrown in or out of gear with its respective companion wheel C C', as shown by Fig. 1. The position of these levers, as indicated by dotted lines, may be secured in notches b b upon cross-bar B. Of course 7o care should be taken that but one olf-these wheels E E be thrown into gear when the machine is in operation, and the motion of the knife or sickle is stopped lby throwing both wheels out 'of gear.

Firmly secured to the projecting end of axle d ofgear-wheel E is a solid wheel F, of v less diameter than wheel A and having on its outer face a continuous groove F representing continuous cams 'having a number of 8o apexes, as shown by Fig. 2. Into this groove works Va'roller f, pivoted on the end of a rocking lever G, which is pivoted upon the projection B of axle of main wheel A, and, being also pivoted at its lower extremity g to the 85 pitman g', operates the sickle or knife I by means of the cam-shaped rod H, as shown by Fig. 3. This cam-shaped rod H, Fig. 3, is attached to the pitman g by the universaljoint h. It is round except where cam-shaped, 9o where it is square, and moves in boxes Q Q at either end of a chamber R, adapted thereto, Figs. 2 and 3.

The sickle head or heel is bifurcated horizontally and has two vertical detachable roll- 9 5 ers i t', between which the horizontal cam or curve of the rod H works, and as the sickle is conned from lateral motionby the dovetailed groove, Fig. 5, in which it Works, it is evident that as the cam-rod moves lon gitudi- Ico nally 'the sickle will move laterally, and at every movement of the cam-rod the sickle will make a reciprocal movement. Beneath the chamber in which the cam-rod moves is a shoe J and a similar smaller shoe j at the outer end of the finger-bar K. A rigid brace L, secured to bar A2 of the main frame, runs from thence in front of main wheel A and around outside of lever G and parallel to the pitman g', and is secured to a collar on the end of the axle B of main wheel A, Fig. 1. This brace, bearing closely against lever g, serves to keep the roller j' in position in the groove F of wheel F. The finger-bar K is secured in a suitable way tothe main frame and also by the iron lever-rod M, which, extending from the bar N, crosses bar A2, over brace L and thence forward along the upper side of chamber R, to which it is attached by a ring and bolt. This rod has a step or curve Z in easy reach of the drivers seat O at the junction of crossbar B and longitudinal bar N and works in boxes n n n on the bars N, A2, and L, so that by pressure on said step the shoe J and chamber R can be slightly raised over an impediment, or when for any cause it is desirable to raise the shoe. A further brace P and chain S, running from either end of chamber R to brace L and bar A2 of main frame, serve to steady said chamber R and also permit the slight elevation of said chamber and shoe.

The chamber R, in which the cam-shaped rod H moves, should be a shallow box of just sufficient depth and dimensions to permit without friction the movement of the rod H, and the top of said box or chamber should be hinged, as shown at I I, Fig. l, as a trunk, in order to permit the detachment of the knife or sickle-heel from engagement with cam-rod H, and also for the detachment of the rollers 'i from the sickle-heel when necessary, and

'this chamber should be of sufficient strength to carry the sickle-bar and the lid properly secured when closed.

If it is desired to raise the cutter-bar to permit the machine tc enter a narrow opening, this can be eifected by well-known devices.

I do not claim as new the devices or modes described for conveying motion from the driving-wheels by gear-wheels of different diameters, or for the devices for shifting said gearwheels from engagement, or for any mode of raising the cutter-bar to enable the machine to pass through narrow openings, as these are old and well-known devices.

The obvious advantage of my invention is, primarily, the power ofv increasing the speed of the sickle or knife by means of the rocking lever, which makes twice as many strokes at each revolution of the wheel F as there are apexes in the cam-groove in said wheel, and said apexes in the cam-grooves may be many or few, as may be deemed best, as I do not coniine my invention to any precise number of said apexes.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

l. In a reaping or mowing machine provided with driving-wheels, mounted upon a suitable frame, with gearing adapted to con- Vey motion to cutting-knives, the Wheel F, having a cam-shaped groove F on its face, rocking lever G, operated by engagement with said camgroove and pivoted to pitman g', universal joint h, connecting said pitman to cam-shaped rod H, and thereciprocatin g sickle operated thereby, in combination with the finger-bar of a reaping or mowing machine, as shown and described.

2. In a reaping or mowing machine provided with driving-wheels, mounted upon a suitable frame, and gearing adapted to convey motion to the cutting-knives, the rocking lever G, its upper arm provided with a rollerf, adapted to engage and work in a cam-shaped groove on the face of wheel F, and its lower arm pivoted to a pitman g', connected by a universal joint h to cam-shaped rod H, in combination with brace L, chamber R, finger-bar K, and a sickle-heel provided with rollers l t', all constructed and arranged to operate as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM H. LAGUIRE. Witnesses:

M. H. READER, E. W. HULL. 

